Getting back in the habit

Very hard to see coyote on my morning run!

So, I’m trying to brush up on my writing chops as summer is coming and blogging about our travels is a must.  A three-day weekend seems the perfect little teaser for a summer with time off.  I can get so much done with an extra day in my weekend; one kids yoga class taught and one two mile hike into the hills, two runs totaling 8.5 miles, 3 days in the garden with countless weeds pulled, 4 meals prepped including leftover cheese enchiladas, veggies from the garden, mini-frittatas and some chocolate peanut butter fudge for good measure, 5 errands run to procure food for the weekend and week to come, 6 sessions sitting in the sun to rest from all this, 10-20 yoga poses in the garden to stretch out weary muscles, and 30 some report cards started (I wish I could say finished, but I still have a couple of weeks to wrap those up.)  That seems like a very full three days.  I can’t wait to see how many adventures fill my summer vacation. 

Harvesting veggies from the garden!

 

 

Breaking the silence

So, I've had many meaningful, thoughtful things to say over the last few months and yet I've balked at blogging about them.  But it took the inspiration of a cool gift from my husband to get me blogging again.  I guess it is true, I'm a material girl!  I fell in love with this cutting board a couple of months ago and perhaps I mentioned how cool I thought it was a few times.  Though this is certainly Greg's busiest work week of the year, he managed to deliver this awesome present to his completely surprised wife! 

The cups in the board are removable, so as you chop you can separate out your broth ingredients, your compost and then clean up becomes organized and sustainable.  I love it!  I'm already putting it to good use chopping up chard, radishes and herbs from the garden.  Thanks Greg!

Writers Block

November came and went.  A period of unrest for our country surrounding the election, put into my mind a phrase from my childhood, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”  I felt resistant to putting down my thoughts into words during that time.  Then December came and with it, classroom colds, seasonal activities, and commitments that kept me busy right up through the holidays.  So this week, I am finally well, less exhausted, and ready to open myself up to the page and see what comes.  Instead of giving myself a particular goal, like writing a blog once a week or once a month and having my writing feel like just another to do on my list, I would rather have in mind to write when I feel inspired.  This may happen several times this winter and spring, or I may not write again until summer vacation.  It is my hope that allowing myself this freedom will create space for creativity and an opportunity to love writing once more. 

It is interesting to me that last time I blogged in October, I felt that making time to write needed to a priority in the new year, a scheduled activity, and trying to implement that in the last couple of months seemed impossible or it snuffed out any creative ember from the get go.  One goal I do have for this year is to spend less time in front of a computer.  To spend my mornings in quiet meditation and movement and my evenings in reflection and relaxation, is something I would like to do more of this year.  While that may limit blogging, I am hoping it may inspire me to start journaling once again, on paper!  I have paper journals from age 8 on up, granted I got less regular about those journals in college and beyond and in recent years have struggled to do so at all with the exception of an occasional entry in a mutual journal kept with my grandma, my husband or my mom.  I don’t know what the new year will bring for me as a writer but perhaps by relinquishing my expectations something new or renewed will come.